Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-29
EXPRESS BUSINESS NEXT.
INTER STATE PEOPLE THINK 1T
SHOULD Be REGULATED.

Some Reasons Why They Think That Way
The Matter Referred to Congress-Re-
duction Of Value of Foreign Silver Coins
"A Solid South or Lamar on tho Su-
preme Bench-Canal Schemes.
decision of the interstate commerce COM
mission upon the question whether express
companies are subject to the provisions of
the inter state commerce act was announced
Wednesday. 1t Is decided to refer the ques-
ton to congress as one of doubtful jurisdic-
ton for the commission to decide
The opinion, prepared by Commissioner
Walker opens by stating fully the relations
sustained by the express companies to the
subject of Interstate commerce. 1t recites
the contract between leading railway COM
pany and the express company which
handles the parcel traffic on its lines, under
which all freight seeking transportation by
passenger trains Is turned over to the express
company for carriage, and this practice is
found to be usual upon all railroad lines
After going over some other preliminary
facts as to the organization, rates, absence of
competition. ETC., the arguments urged by ths
express companies against their being treated
as subject to the act are considered in detail.
The fact that they perform many other
services besides transportation Of property,
such as the collection of debts etc, is not re-
gardsd as a reason why the act should not
be treated as applying to their business as
common carriers, since many railroad COM
panies also have other business besides that
of tray kofi Tho claim that the apf
should be construed as penal statute is not
adopted, the statute being regarded as high
ly remedial The various sections Of the act
are considered with relation to the express
business, and are found to be in theory as
applicable thereto as to the business Of rail-
road companies In fact the express COM
paniss claim that they already abide by the
rules established in the act.
The requiring Of annual reports from ex-
press companies Is held to be matter con-
corning which the public has right to be in
formed, and congress may particularly desire
| knowledge. At present little is known about
the amount of their capital stock; their
| funded debt, or the money invested in their
! plant and business; the volume of their bust
ness, with the expenses thereof; the rates
| charged, and the methods upon which the
rates are constructed. The agents of all ex-
press companies are necessarily instructed as
| to the charges to be made, and the public
equally Intelligent, could comprehend them.
The bringing of express companies within
the provisions of the act is found to be prac
ticable, and on some accounts desirable.
The express companies which are simply
branches of a railroad organized and oper
l afip tkrau I'D i'm staF hva IL,
dependent bureau, or by a combination with
other railroad companies, are found to b.
covered by the provisions of the act. In tn,
case Of the Independently organized expires
companies, however, operating under con
tracts for transportation, the language of tn
act as it now stands is found to be so framed
as not to bring them distinctly within it
provisions The words "wholly by rail
road, in the FIRST section, do not well dsfln
the business Of express companies, which US
very largely the services of teams, messen
gers, stage coaches and steamboats, Tn
pooling section applies to the pooling of th
business Of the railroads Other section
speak of railroads continually, and of depot
and stations, the language not being appl
cable to the business of express com
panies, except under a somewhat straine
construction. The express business was we
known at the time of the passage of the Law
and has been frequently mentioned by nam
in congressional statutes The omission t
name it here is significant. The preliminar
investigation by the Interstate commerce
committee of the senate did not include tn
+ express companies, and was confined almo:
wholly to that of railroad companies. Upo
all these considerations the commissio
thinks best to refer the subject to congress
as in any case Of doubtful jurisdiction it
far better that the legislative body should r